The old saying says that ‘A thousand people, a thousand opinions’ applies to football more than anything. There’s absolutely no doubt that many are heavily biased, yet they cannot be totally ignored! Some are more objective than others so it does no harm to at least listen to what the ‘experts’ have to say. Whether they count for anything at the end of the day is a completely different question but they’re all part of the tension built anticipation which forms the climax for what may turn out to be an unforgettable Manchester United season.

Who has been saying what ahead of Saturday’s massive Champions League Cup Final

“We’ll find a solution to the game. It’s about what’s best for us, what’s the best way for us to win the match. It will be down to how we operate in the attacking part” – Sir Alex Ferguson

“In 2009, we never played. We never got on the ball. We weren’t Manchester United that day. This time we will give a better account of ourselves” – Rio Ferdinand

“Obviously Barcelona are a great team and they’ll have a lot of possession in the game, but we’ll also try to exploit their weaknesses. All teams have weaknesses” – Nemanja Vidic

“It is in England so Barcelona are the away team. We have played many times at Wembley so that makes us feel at home and hopefully we can continue our good home record” – Ji-sung Park

“2009 was a big, big frustration and I don’t want to experience a feeling like that again” – Patrice Evra

“I’ll be very happy for Fabio if he gets picked. I’ll be sad for myself if I’m not playing but I’ll be feeling happy for him” – Rafael da Silva

“If you look at European football then you’d say it’s the ideal final. I think the purists and the neutrals would probably say Barcelona and United are the best two teams in Europe right now” – Michael Owen

“If anyone can beat Barcelona with the talent they’ve got in their side, it’s Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United” – David Beckham

“If Barcelona turn up, they win. Barca have got to have a bad day for United to realistically have a chance. Either that or United get lucky” – Gary Lineker

“United will play against Barca as they did against Arsenal, with three men in midfield. Ferguson is aware of the physical superiority of his team and knows that United’s best chances may be from mistakes and corners. This strategy is key in the finals” – Cesc Fabregas